Education reforms are signed into law

Law puts teacher performance ahead of seniority for decisions on layoffs and tenure

June 14, 2011|By Tara Malone, Tribune reporter

Gov. Pat Quinn signed ambitious education reforms into law Monday that will change how Illinois educators earn tenure and how districts remove ineffective teachers from the classroom, with seniority for the first time mattering less than performance.

Hailed by federal education officials as a model for the nation, the measure also sets the table for a longer school day and school year in Chicago, which for years has had one of the nation's shortest instructional days.

The challenge now turns to putting such changes in place amid financial uncertainties and state budget woes, educators caution. Illinois owes public schools $1 billion in unpaid bills. The spending plan for next year would slash $171 million in education funding.

"When you fund education as it should be funded … perhaps it will support the principles of (the law)," said Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, who led negotiations among union leaders, reform groups, policymakers, parents, school managers and rank-and-file teachers.

During a bill-signing ceremony at the Maywood school she attended as a child, Lightford delivered instructions for everyone from principals — "as you evaluate teachers, do it in fairness" — to teachers concerned about their right to strike — "just don't do it" — to superintendents and school boards — "cooperate with the teachers unions."

"We want everyone in the country to know that when we have a big issue in our state, we don't push people aside. We bring everyone together," Quinn said.

When cash-strapped districts cut staff, they now must first consider a teacher's qualifications, specialty and performance in deciding who stays and who goes. Years of service would play the role of tiebreaker. The change is expected to roll out as soon as next year in most school districts.

Educators who earn top ratings during their first three years in the classroom will be fast-tracked for tenure without having to wait a fourth year, according to the law. This piggybacks on a new method for evaluating educator performance that unfolds from 2012 through 2016.

Training will be available for school administrators and local board members to help them understand their duties.

What's more, school boards and unions in downstate and suburban districts must sit down with a mediator and publicly disclose their last, best offer as any precursor to a strike, effective immediately.

"I think that will have a positive effect," said Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. "It works both ways. The public will know more."

If mediation fails in Chicago, either side may request a fact-finding akin to a mini-trial before a strike could occur, the law states. In the city, 75 percent of eligible Chicago Teachers Union members now must vote in support of a strike.

The law also delivered a long-sought reform by enabling a longer school day and school year in Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel again voiced his support, saying he had a 5 p.m. daily call with Lightford during the thick of negotiations.

Just when city public school students will start spending more time in the classroom is unclear. With the new law in place, district officials may lengthen instructional time, but the union may bargain for more pay or benefits if additional minutes are added. The district faces an estimated $720 million budget shortfall next year.

Chicago schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard said in a prepared statement that he will work with school leaders "during the weeks and months to come" as they tailor plans for an extended day and year.

Union spokeswoman Liz Brown said the group is "open to discussing that in the next contract negotiations." The current labor agreement runs through June 2012.

During the signing, Emanuel recounted how first-grader Rei Kong, 7, questioned the mayor's plans for a longer school day when he recently toured her classroom at South Loop Elementary School.

"I said, 'Well, Rei, do you like reading?' I said, 'I think we need some more reading time,'" Emanuel said.

Rei stood by Quinn's side when he signed the law and received one of the 100 pens he used.

Her mother, Sue Seah, welcomed more class time but said she wants to see what additional minutes might involve.

"You can have longer hours," Seah said, "but if it's not effectively put to use, you'd be wasting resources."